Article retaining clamp



Jan. 13, 1953 c. B. HALL 2,625,360

ARTICLE RETAINING CLAMP Fig. l.

8 /2 m lo 22 -14 Irw'ventor:

C|ar-enceB.Hal|,

H is Attorney Patented Jan. 13, 1953 isiiiaaitn-Jiayn, 1945;; serial 6; are

ii earn-as;

My invention relates to cmmp's'and mere parmommy to clamps for homing articles in fixed positions within closed chambers. I

It is sometimes necessary to provide a clamp which may be easily inserted within a chamber and which may be utilized for retaihirigfan article in a definite position within the chamber. For example, in refrigerating systems a'dri er consistmg of some moisture-absorbing material, such as silica gel, is frequently employed for absorbing any moisture which may collect within the system. This drier may, for convenience, be a nonrigid container, such as a cloth bag, positioned within a header associated with the evaporator of the system. It is de able :61 such purposes to provide some arrangement ior holding the container for the fs-ilicagl inapredeter mined position within the drier so that it will not be jarred loose and to simplifythe insertion of the clamp and the silica gel into position within the header; I h V Accordingly, it is an object or invntionto provide an improved clamp m holding an article in position within a chamber; H I g It is 'a further object army invention to provide a clamp which is readily assembled within a chamber and which is adapted to clamp a non rigid article in position without injury to the tl .v v s t, l ,t Further objects andadvantag'es of myinvention will become apparent as the followingdescription proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this's'pecification. n

For a better understandin of pry-invention, reference may be had to the accompanying d-raw ing in which Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a portion of a refrigerating system embodying my invention; Fig. 2 isa sectional elevationview of the header of therei'rigerating-system showing details of my invention; Eigrfiis'a sectionalplan view of the embodiment shownin Fig. iigand Fig. 4 is a sectional aaiaaon'view of a modified form of my invention. W g N M Referring now to Fig 1, there is show-n a refrigcrating system which may be utilized,- for example, to cool a compartment l of a refrigerator. The refrigerating System includes a compressor 2, a condenser 3 and an evaporator 4: The evaporator is arranged in heat exchange relationship with the exterior of the compartment 1 in order to absorb-heat from articles placed withinthe cbflliialrimfii- After be ng. e eeress i. h is: frigerant is condensed inthe'conderisert and the liq id r fri er nt iibb iei 1:0: e vab i through a fiotv restricting tube 5, sometimes re- B fI Q-iQa M -P ars ub -V, Du t e orpi enei h at from the c mpar men I, th liquid reirigerant is vaporized and the vaporized refrigeF BtP a S i itq ahea e F mthe-he n t e vee i ed r ere t w t d awn th ou h a suction line 'l and returned to the compressor. fie er eamw 9 fies. 2am, h header 8 i i i lw ei o M le! ne i ns fie a, These We ertensflare-i ine ha l by w l r in nylqt r ui ab emaene t m the unitary header. Refrigerant from the evaporator is deliveredinto the portion Bthrough a passage H and vaporized refrigerant is delivered to the suction l-in ej through a tube 1 -2 whose inlet opening is posftioned near the top of the header. Since s mege u d wi r-ant may fin i Wa mm th hea e a f l 3 hav pen ne n arth top nd. i e is p vided i der. to sur a qu zone adjacent the tube l-2 so that liquid refrigerant will;notbe ajccidentally drawn into the tube nd de iv r dtdthe e m ess a r. r v

s eeeany. moi tu hi h. ma c l ct Wi hin the reeriee aiin y em, in r duc the p s b tr. suc .in stu e ree ing. in. the sm ll dia eter capi-llary tubea; dthereby blocking the flow at re riee na a mois ureb material; sealas a ge i wormed. withi the head The silica gel may, for example, heplaced within a container; such as a cloth bag I 4; A clamp I5 is' provided within the chamberformed within the portion 8 of the header for retaining the ,bag ld firm-ly in positionagainst a side o-r wall of the chamber, the clamp and bag being positioned 2 e e e d r rt o 8 andjfl are w 1de1t0- gether It is necessary thatthe clamp not only retain the bag l4 in a predetermined position in the-header, but also that the clamp have no'tendency to puncture the joag and thereby allow the silica gel to escape i lto the refrigerating system. It is further desirablethat the clamps b'e'constructed so that it may be easily assembled wit-h in; the header and so that the bjagl kmay be easilypiaced inthe proper position'iwithrelation to the clamp l n order to' accomplish these 'objecw tives;3 theclamp is formed as shown in Figs; 2 and The clamp I5 is formed of "a lengthof resilient wire which is bent to form two substantially par allel portions or elements-l6 andll; The" clamp iqf generally "sh a.pe with the longer leg 18 cthel e ten e PP iWd-inaflv- @ithe h a and the shorter leg l9 extending transversely of the header from one section of the wall of the header to a section generally opposite thereto. The leg I8 includes a straight portion 20 which, in the assembled position of the clamp, is in engagement with the wall of the header. The remainder of the leg I8 is shaped to provide a substantially U-shaped portion 2|, the end 22 of this U-shaped portion being resiliently pressed against the wall of the header. The U-shaped portion 2| includes two complementary portions 23 and 24 which are formed by extending the central parallel wire portions l6 and H outwardly and downwardly. The portions 23 and 24 cooperate to prevent any transverse shifting of the bag it, and any longitudinal shifting of the bag is prevented by the bent end 22 and a complementary portion 25 adjacent the portion 20 of the leg H3. The U-sh-aped portion thus provides a cage for retaining the bag in position. It will be noted that the U-shaped portion 2| elfectively embraces the bag l4 and contains no sharp edges which might puncture the bag.

The leg l9 of the clamp is longer than the inside diameter of the header and the leg is inclined toward the open end of the portion 8 of the header. The end of the leg I9 is bent toward 'the open end of the portion 8 Of the header, as

indicated at 26, forming an acute angle with the wall, in order that the sharp ends of the wire may eifectively bite into the wall of the header to resist movement of the clamp toward the open end. Since the leg I9 includes the two parallel portions l6 and i! of the wire of which the clamp is composed, the above construction provides two tips 2'! and 28 for engagement with the wall of the header. As shown in Fig. 2, the sharp edge of each of these tips engages the wall of the header. To facilitate such engagement no attempt is made to smooth these edges and any burrs resulting from cutting the wire during manufacture of the clamp are allowed to remain.

Since the portion 26 of the clamp is inclined toward an open end of the portion 8 of the header, the clamp may be freely moved toward the closed end of this portion of the header, and the clamp is pushed into the header until the leg l9 touches the closed end. Movement of the clamp in the opposite direction, that is toward the open end of the portion 8 of the header, is resisted by the biting of the tips 21 and 28 of the clamp into the wall of the header. The clamp is thus self-locking and, once inserted into position, accidental shifting of the clamp within the header is prevented. The U-shaped portion 2| of the leg 20 is resiliently forced toward the longitudinal wall of the header by the natural resilience of the material of which the clamp is composed. To place the bag of silica gel in position within the header the portion 2| is lifted, the bag is inserted thereunder, and the portion 2| is then released to clamp the bag in position against the wall of the header.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the natural resilience of the wire of the leg |8 is utilized to hold the leg |8 against the wall and thereby to clamp the bag in position. The modification shown in Fig. 4 includes an additional element to assist in maintaining the leg H3 in engagement with its adjacent wall. The same numerals have been applied to corresponding parts in all three figures. Referring now specifically to Fig. 4, the clamp l includes an additional leg 29 at' the opposite end of the clamp from the leg l9, and the leg 29 extends transversely of the header and is inclined away from the open end of the portion 8 of the header. The

leg 29 is longer than the inside diameter of the header and forces the end 22 of the portion 2| into firm engagement with the wall of the header. In order to prevent the leg 29 from interfering with the insertion of the clamp into the header, the end of the leg is curved away from the'wall of the header, as indicated by 30, so that this end will have no tendency to bite into the wall. The possibility of biting into the wall of the header is further minimized by the fact that the end 39 constitutes the closed end of the two parallel portions l6 and I! of which the clamp is formed.

7 The modified form of clamp shown in Fig. 4 is my invention in connection with the header of a refrigerating system, other applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. I do not desire, therefore, that my invention be limited to the particular constructions shown and described and I intend, by the appended claims, to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with means providing a chamber including spaced walls, a resilient clamp for holding an article within said spaced walls, said clamp comprising an elongated portion lying against one of said walls and formed to provide a cage for holding an article against said one of said walls, and a second portion extending transversely of said elongated portion, said second portion resiliently engaging both of said spaced walls whereby said second portion is effective to maintain said elongated portion in engagement with said one of said walls.

2. In combination with means providing a chamber including spaced walls, a resilient clamp for holding an article within said spaced walls, said clamp comprising an elongated portion extending along said one of said walls, said portion including a first section lying adjacent said one of said walls and a second section spaced from said one of said walls and shaped to provide a cage for receiving an article and for retaining said article against said one of said walls, and a second portion extending transversely of said elongated portion, said second portion resiliently engaging both of said spaced walls, one end of said second portion engaging the other of said spaced walls at an acute angle in the direction of motion of said clamp during assembly of said clamp between said spaced walls whereby said end bites into said other of said spaced walls to prevent movement of said clamp in the opposite direction.

3. In combination with means providing a chamber including spaced walls, a resilient clamp for holding an article within said spaced walls, said clamp comprising an elongated portion extending along one of said'walls, said portion including a section spaced from said one of said walls and shaped to provide a cage for receiving an article and for retaining the article against said one of said walls, a second portion extendin transversely of said elongated portion from one end thereof, said second portion resiliently engaging both of said spaced walls, and a third portion extending transversely of said elongated portion from the opposite end thereof, said third portion resiliently engaging both of said spaced walls for maintaining said elongated portion in its article-retaining position.

4. In combination with means providing a chamber including spaced walls, a resilient clamp for holding an article within said spaced walls, said clamp comprising an elongated portion extending along one of said walls, said portion including a first section lying adjacent said one of said walls and a second section spaced from said one of said walls and shaped to provide a cage for receiving an article and for retaining the article against said one of said walls, a second portion extending transversely of said elongated portion from one end thereof and engaging the other of said spaced walls to prevent movement of said clamp in one direction, and a third portion extending transversely of said elongated portion from the opposite end thereof and resiliently engaging said other of said spaced walls for maintaining said elongated portion in its articleretaining position, the end of said third portion being curved to facilitate free movement along said other of said spaced walls, the end of said second portion engaging the other of said spaced walls at an acute angle in the direction of motion of said clamp during assembly of said clamp between said spaced walls whereby said end bites into the other of said spaced walls to prevent movement of said clamp in the opposite direction.

5. In combination with means providing a chamber including spaced walls, a resilient clamp for holding an article within said spaced walls, said clamp comprising an elongated portion extending along one of said walls, said portion including a U-shaped section for preventing movement of the article longitudinally of said portion, the ends of said U-shaped section engaging said one of said walls and the length of said section intermediate said ends being spaced from said one of said walls, said U-shaped section including elements extending transversely from said intermediate length of said U-shaped section and toward said one of said walls for preventing movement of the article transversely of said portion, and a second portion extending transversely of said elongated portion and engaging the other of said spaced walls, said second portion resiliently engaging both of said spaced walls for maintaining said elongated portion in engagement with said one of said walls.

6. In combination with means providing a chamber including spaced walls, a resilient clamp for holding an-article within said spaced walls, said clamp comprising a wire of resilient material bent to form two substantially parallel elements, said parallel elements being formed in an L-shape including one elongated leg extending along one of said walls and a second leg extending transversely of said elongated leg, said second leg engaging the other of said walls and resiliently engaging both 'of said spaced walls, said elongated leg being shaped to provide a U-shaped portion for retaining an article against longitudinal movement, the ends of said U-shaped section engaging said one of said walls and the length of said section intermediate said ends being spaced from said one of said walls, said parallel elements included within said U-shaped portion being extended transversely away from each other and toward said one of said walls to retain the article against lateral movement.

CLARENCE B. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 571,438 Harlow Nov. 17, 1896 1,312,396 Harper Aug. 5, 1919 1,433,420 Seidts Oct. 24, 1922 2,158,728 Peters May 16, 1939 2,299,490 Newman Oct. 20, 1942 2,529,763 Deputy et al Nov. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 162,797 Germany Sept. 16, 1905 

